Blog

Join us on March 14 at the Gray Family Eau Claire YMCAfor our annual Information Night. Find out about camp activities, meals, bedtimes, homesickness and more. Meet some camp leaders, and have your questions answered by the Camp Director.

Event includes
– Slide Show
– Games for younger children (counsellor led)

We encourage new campers and their families to attend if they are in the Calgary area. Everyone is welcome! RSVP not required.

Camp Chief Hector YMCA is looking for people who have a passion for working with children and who enjoy the outdoors. Be part of a long standing camp family and get to call the Rocky Mountains home for a summer. Accommodations and meals are included.

Alberta will be celebrating Family Day on Monday, February 19th. This holiday celebrates the importance of families and family life to people and their communities.

In conjunction with our partners at Parenting Power we are happy to support #NoPhoneFamilyDay. A movement and intention to leave the phone on the charger and spend time together.

Please join us at any of our facilities across the city for some specific family programming.

Remington YMCA:

Wibit (inflatable obstacle course in 25m Pool) – 9:30-11:30am

Family Playground (Gym will be set up with obstacles, balls and a variety of gym equipment for children and their parents to explore and enjoy together. Open to children who are walking to 5Y) – 11:30-1:30pm

Shawnessy YMCA:

Family Yoga – 1:00-2:00pm

Family Climbing – 10:30am – 12:30pm

Saddletowne YMCA

Family Playground (Gym will be set up with obstacles, balls and a variety of gym equipment for children and their parents to explore and enjoy together. Open to children who are walking to 5Y) – 12:00-2:00pm

Family Climbing – 10:00am – 12:00pm Ages 4+ Max of 12 participants

Family Fitness Class – 11:00am – 12:00pm Ages 6+

Gray Family Eau Claire YMCA:

Wibit (inflatable obstacle course in 25m Pool) – 1:00-3:00pm

Family Playground (Gym will be set up with obstacles, balls and a variety of gym equipment for children and their parents to explore and enjoy together. Open to children who are walking to 5Y) – 1:00-3:00pm

All Sport One City starts this week, Monday January 22nd until Saturday January 27th. All Sport One City is an initiative of Sport Calgary and gives adults (18 and older) a chance to try out a new fitness activities or sports at many different facilities across the city for free. All Sport One City is promoted in partnership with PlayCity and Calgary Roughnecks.

Registration is done through the Sport Calgary and daily calendars of activities for the week are available at https://allsportonecity.ca/. YMCA Calgary will be participating in All Sport One City by offering a variety of activities at Gray Family Eau Claire YMCA, Melcor YMCA at Crowfoot, Remington YMCA, Saddletowne YMCA, and Shawnessy YMCA locations. Please see the YMCA activities below:

Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge: A Centre for Arts in Calgary

Dear Community Partner,

YMCA Calgary has been serving Calgarians since 1902. In that time, we’ve evolved to meet the changing needs of our city. Our organization is once again evolving to include the Arts at Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge.

YMCA Calgary now offers Arts programs for children and youth. We are running dance, drama and visual arts programs for children and youth aged 6-17. This is a great opportunity for young people in the NW Calgary community to try new activities and develop creativity.

YMCA is a leading provider of safe, accessible, and compelling programs for all ages, with a goal to building healthy and vibrant communities. Arts learning is a central means to this outcome. Our sports programs develop physical literacy. Our arts programs develop creative literacy! – programs that flex, strengthen and grow our imaginative muscles through creative expression and play.

We are thrilled to dive into the Arts with our new programs and promote happiness and health in youth and children through drama, dance and the visual arts.

Meet the Team!

Judy Lawrence, Arts Manager

Judy Lawrence brings a lifetime of building community through the arts. She has served as Executive Director for The Alberta Jubilee Auditoria Society (for both Calgary and Edmonton!), and for the International Fringe Theatre Festival in Edmonton. She has worked with Calgary Opera, Springboard Performance, Dancers Studio West, One World Festival, Calgary Arts Development, Arts Commons, Alberta Arts Festivals Association and more. She is thrilled at this bold new arts adventure with YMCA Calgary , and the huge opportunities to serve community in living joyous, creative lives.

Judith Mendelsohn, Arts Program Director

Judith is thrilled to begin a new venture as Arts Program Director. She has worked as a performer and instructor for Green Fools Theatre, Evergreen Theatre, Arts Commons, and Quest Theatre. Judith is passionate about creating and performing her own shows, dance, and can be found sometimes walking on stilts or wearing a clown nose!

Matt Dewald, Drama Instructor

Matt has formal training and experience as a teacher and a theatre director. He has worked with over a dozen different theatre companies and schools in Calgary as a director, actor, producer and educator. Much of his work has been with children’s theatre companies and directing theatre for young audiences.

Natalie Lauchlan, Visual Arts Director

Natalie Lauchlan is an emerging artist, published and exhibiting across Canada, and over seas. Natalie has been working as a Studio Artist with the CBE for several years and is currently focusing on a B.Ed with the University of Calgary. In an exciting new partnership with the YMCA she hopes to bring the interests of her students to the forefront of every class, integrating the individualities of students into the practice of new skills and techniques. Natalie believes in providing equal opportunity, and bringing professional practices and techniques to the hands of children

Great Programs to Choose From!

Introduction to Drama
(Classes split by age: 6-8, 9-12, 13-17)

Let your inner performer take centre stage in this introductory drama class. You will learn the basic improvisational techniques used in acting, as well as work on character and scene creation. This is a great program for anyone looking to develop confidence in front of a crowd.

Introduction to Dance
(Classes split by age: 6-8, 9-12, 13-17)

Get an introduction to modern and classical dance! From hip hop to ballet basics, you will learn to express yourself in a variety of dance genres in a supportive setting. Participants will learn basic movements and apply them to both individual and team dance routines. You will develop spatial awareness, balance, strength, flexibility and expression through movement in this fun and social program. Previous dance experience not required.

Introduction to Art Making(Ages 6-8, 9-12, 13-17)

Explore the basics of drawing, painting, mixed media and more! Participants will play with line, colour, space, light and shadow, brushstroke, proportion and perspective in a variety of formats. You will exercise and develop your imaginative muscles as you build your skillset and discover the joy of self-expression through the creation of innovative art projects. Previous art experience not required.

Arts Season

An exciting season to come! Join us as we launch our inaugural season of performance at the beautiful new BMO Theatre at Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge! We are thrilled to announce that YMCA Calgary can bring you the show ‘We Are All Treaty People,’ April 21, 2018. This show is in partnership with Calgary’s premiere professional children’s theatre company Quest Theatre. It is also in association with Making Treaty 7 Society. Together Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists tell the story of the shared history of our land. This show is especially suited for children, and culminates in a Round Dance for all.

Christmas trees are back at the Melcor YMCA! We will be selling trees during our regular operating hours from December 1st – 24th! If you are interested in purchasing a tree just stop by our member services desk, and a staff member will be happy to help you!

The trees range in height from 4-8’ tall and cost $5/ft. 50% of the funds raised will go towards our strong kids campaign, and the other 50% will go towards supporting the LIT youth attending the Western Canadian Leadership Conference (WCLC).

November 28th is #GivingTuesdayCA. After the sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday is a day to give back to community.

In our communities, we continue to see families struggling financially and when expenses are prioritized recreational and health programs usually fall near the bottom of the list. It is during this time of stress that people most need to take care of their physical and mental health and stay connected to a caring community.

At YMCA Calgary, through our Strong Kids Campaign we provide individuals and families with financial assistance to participate in programs that enable lifelong healthy living and support their social and emotional wellbeing. So far in 2017, 19,741 individual experiences have been provided to children and youth to participate in day camps, swim lessons, climbing wall courses, Camp Chief Hector summer camp, child care and gym and sport classes.

Your donation will give the gift of the YMCA to a child who needs and wants it. Your support welcomes them to a caring community and gives them the chance to belong, grow, thrive and lead.